The Goldilocks Method of Designing Crochet.

You know that feeling! You get a brilliant idea and in your head it is epic!

This is going to be bigger than Ben Hur (Or that is what the saying is, I think?).

You map it out in your head and the sheer magnitude of just how brilliant this idea is, makes your head a few sizes too large for the gorgeous crochet beanie you made last week!

Of course whilst in your head this design works PER-FECT-LY.... Every stitch lines up and it all falls into place to create a piece of crochet that a Queen would wish to have adorning her in some manner or other.

Then you begin working on this masterpiece. You try one lot of yarn, and it doesn't work that great. Maybe the texture is too rough. You try another lot and it is way too soft. Then you try a third lot and it seems just right.

You grab your 5mm hook and do a few rows. Turns out it's too big.

You work a few rows in your 4mm and you guessed it, it is too small. By this time you can hear your 4.5mm grumbling from the hook storage. 'Told you I was the right size. You should have picked me in the first place'.

Sure enough the 4.5mm is just right and it did have a point, you should have listened.

Single Crochet.

You think you are now ready to whip up this masterpiece and begin using Single Crochet (US). You work up a large portion of the design, but the further on you get, you start to think that this stitch is maybe not right for the design. Maybe this will not work. You work slower, so you can ponder how you could possibly be wrong. It worked so well in your head. Eventually you are working one stitch a minute. Your brain is stating in loud terms that IT WILL NOT WORK. The realization dawns on you that it JUST AIN'T GONNA WORK, and a frogging you go.

Your vision begins to shift. This new idea will work, it will be super fabulous for sure. How could you have missed this?

Half Double Crochet.

Half Double Crochet may well be the way to go with this. This will work! This will be great! Fantastic! Fabulous! You may be awarded Queen of the world with this design, butttttttttt....... you get to about the same point you were at with the Single Crochet and just KNOW it is NOT SO!

By this time the new, fabulous, incredible design has had the gift of flight bestowed upon it (you chuck it across the room and leave it there for a few hours.)

Waist coat stitch.

Waist Coat Stitch. This is it! This is the one!! This will be raised above all others and become legend in this design. People will queue for hours to view the crochet artistry that you have designed with this stitch. As you work, you realise that this is quite true. It does work. It is right. Wonderful even. You work harder and faster knowing that those queues of crochet fans will be waiting to view your masterpiece.

Again your head has grown a few sizes too large for that beanie, and you realise the day is gone. It is late and suddenly you feel like eating a large bowl of porridge. You must have one! You have been working very hard all day on this so deserve it!!!!!

You are now so exhausted from your day of frogging that you also require a nap. You go looking for a bed, but you do need to find one that is JUST RIGHT!

The Goldilocks Method of Crochet Design is a patented method used by Auburncraft Design. No bears were harmed in the making of this method of crochet design, although several bowls of porridge were eaten.

You Know Your Yarn Stash is too Big When.........?

Who said that?

Totally not going to tolerate that sort of statement from anyone! My yarn stash is not too big, nor could it ever be too big!

Just because I have searched for two hours trying to find that elusive ball of pink Stylecraft Special Dk that I know I have somewhere, and I cannot find it, that does NOT mean I have a stash issue.

Sure I will admit I have more yarn than I can probably use in my remaining lifetime but how much is too much? And really what is the point of only buying one of something? I may need more than one and if I don't buy it then, the dye lot may well be different. Imagine all that work on something only to find it looks odd due to different dye lots! Unbearable!

And I actually gave this lot away to someone. I must get some points for that!

I can still get inside my front door and do have SOME room to move around. It is also great exercise leaping over tubs of yarn!

Is it really my fault that I think up a new design and none of the yarn I have seems to be JUST RIGHT, resulting in an order being placed or a trip to the local LYS?

No, it is not!

I have been extremely fruggle this year! I have only purchased 2 skeins of yarn!

I know I have used a ton more than that, so I could almost say my yarn stash is in deficit, comparing it to what it was, that is.

Maybe I should go visit the LYS and stock up! After all I wouldn't want to run out of yarn!!!

Disclaimer: The amount of yarn I have in my stash may have been grossly over exaggerated. Yes I do have too much but my house is not overrun with yarn! No Skeins of yarn were harmed in the writing of this blog post (but I did squeeze a few of them and exclaim how soft they were!).

Crochet It's a Fairytale!

My kids grew up with me reading them all the old Fairytale stories. They each had their favourites.

Well the older two did. The youngest took great pleasure in making me read a book about combine harvesters, tractors and potato harvesting over and over and over........................ till the very thought of potatoes made me ill. That book was a gift from a friend. Needless to say we are no longer friends! Trying to sound enthusiastic about a conveyer belt full of pototoes is pretty darn hard!

But back to the fairytales! Life is sure not like a fairytale for most of us, but maybe it should be!

I got to thinking about how much better life would have been for these fairy tale characters if they had, the ability to crochet?

Think about all the things they could have achieved if they had this unique ability to hook along with the best of us.

The Ugly Duckling would have been strutting around in a lovely crochet sweater. Not so ugly any more!

Hansel and Gretel could have left a long Chain of crochet to help them find their way back home.

The Emperor in the Emperors new clothes would not have needed fine invisible clothes. He would have had a drawer full of granny square outfits to wear.

Little Red Riding Hood's cape would have really popped, having been made from a lovely red toned yarn and any wolf would have been sure to get the yarn stuck in his teeth, making the idea of eating her a lot less appealing!

Rupunzel could have whipped up a nice rope ladder scarf to make her escape with. With the ability to crochet her escape would have been swift and assured.

She could make her escape by dantily climbing down that beautifully crochet scarf, head to the nearest Spa and get herself cleaned up and begin her own life (just thinking of all those years locked away in a tower that didn't even appear to have a bathroom). She could open a little business selling handmade crochet scarves and certainly would not have needed someone to save her!

Think about Sleeping Beauty! With all this social distancing the Prince would have been really frowned upon, just turning up and planting a kiss on a damsel sound asleep. Now if Sleeping Beauty had been a crocheter it would have been a simple thing to wake her. The Prince could have kept his distance and yelled 'HALF PRICE YARN SALE'. Sleeping Beauty would have jumped up and made a dash to her nearest yarn store and again problem solved!

The mind boggles with what these characters could have been with their hobby of crochet. They most certainly would have been a lot more chill with this calming ability.

Billy Thunder Crochet Tote

Sometimes when I design, I begin with an idea in my head and it tends to morph as it progresses. I may get an idea part way through, suddenly change course and the design changes.

This was very much the case with this design. I had already begun to make the Tote when I decided it needed beads. I found myself thinking of ways to stiffen the edges of the Tote by thinking a little bit outside the square. I ended up using plastic clothes line, inside the edges, and I added stiffness to the base of the design with a layer of pvc plastic, sandwiched between the crochet.

I am very happy with the end results!

I chose to use Patons cotton blend DK simply as I had some in my stash and I rather liked the idea of using black. I also wanted my beads to shine through and be a contrast to the black.

My only complaint with using black is the horror it is, trying to get decent clear pictures. The pattern has pictures of most rows to help with stitch placement and count.

Most rows of the pattern have pictures.

I spent a bit of time looking at the Tote and trying to think of a name for it. Nothing was really jumping out at me and then I thought about the colour cotton I had used. This prompted me to choose a name.

So introducing the 'Billy Thunder Tote'. Named as a tribute to a squatter who decided to move into our house a few years ago.

The following is the story behind the name:

One very cold winter a few years ago we discovered that a stray cat had been sneaking into our house and curling up on one of the beds in one of our now grown childrens rooms. It was caught sneaking back out the door, which was promptly locked in an attempt to keep this interloper out.

The cat had a collar on, so we assumed he had owners. We discovered soon enough that he did not.

Over the next couple of weeks, we had a number of sleepless nights due to this cat crying outside our bedroom window. I vividly recall one night when the men in the family were away racing motocross, that I resorted to banging a saucepan outside the house in an attempt to get the cat to stop. The cat had no intention of doing so. It had already decided it now lived in our house and was letting us know, he did not approve of being locked out of his home.

My husband and I have always loved animals and at one stage in our lives had, two horses, three dogs, over a hundred very large goldfish and our property was and is the home of a mob of kangaroos. But we were now at a stage where we really only had the one dog and the fish (and the mob) and were happy with that.

I found myself leaving food outside for this cat without telling my husband. I then discovered my husband was doing the same. Both of us are softies when it comes to animals, and neither of us wanted the cat hungry.

Slowly the cat moved in! He already felt he owned the place and was allowing us to reside there with him.

He didn't have a name and my husband kept suggesting some pretty terrible names for him. I believe one of his first suggestions was 'Pushkas'. I remember just looking at him with a 'what the' expression on my face with that one!

We couldn't call him any of the names I had yelled at him during the sleepless nights and the saucepan banging. This name choosing went on for a number of weeks with me vetoing the suggestions put forward. I kept telling my husband that I refused to be seen calling out some of his suggested cat names. He eventually decided to name him 'Billy' as he would now come up and rub his head against him. He said it was like a billy goat head butting him.

I was still not totally wrapped with this suggestion until I remembered a children's novel all my kids had read named 'Billy Thunder and the Night Gate'. This is a brilliant book by Isobelle Carmody!

So I began calling OUR cat 'Billy Thunder' and the name caught on. It slowly got extended to 'Billy Thunder Cat'.

It also suits him as he was very vocal with his necessity (demand) to live with us.

Billy is a very plain, all black cat ( you cannot count the tiny smudge of white under his chin) with a lovely nature and so the black yarn made me think of him.

So this one is for Billy Thunder! Interloper, squatter and now (in his opinion) ruler of our house!

And yes I am quite happy to be seen calling out 'Billy Thunder Cat', it just seems right!

As for the Tote, it is now in testing and the pattern will be released on my Ravelry and Love Crochet pages in a few weeks. So stay tuned for the release!

This post may contain affiliate links.

Too many crochet design ideas!

My car NOT!

So there I am, driving to the gym in my little 4wd bomb (note in the picture I wrote blue on it as mine is blue, mine also has a roof and if you need more detail I have a sticker on the back that says 'help zombies ate my stick family').

Don't trust Zombies!

I should be focusing on the road ahead and just getting to the gym, but no..... I have this light bulb flashing on and off in my head. Stupid thing won't go away. The little creatures living in my brain are saying 'Don't think about driving the car. We have this great idea for a crochet design. Trust us it will be IN-CRED-IBLE! You need to think about this'.

Inside my head!

It is a lucky thing I can multi-task and think about this design, while managing to stay on the road at the same time. By the time I got to the gym, I had pretty well planned this whole design. I had the whole thing sorted in my head as to how I would make it. Sure I need another design, it isn't as though I have about 15 sitting partly done as I keep thinking of things and getting started on them, then swapping over to another design.

What I really need to do is clone myself a few times. The clones can be then forced to work in sweat shop type conditions, producing my ideas. Of course I will feed them if they work hard enough. This could all backfire! Knowing me, all the clones would have crochet design ideas of their own and down crochet hooks to ponder on them. Then they would all start making their own ideas, getting another idea, repeat, repeat, repeat!!!! It could be a nightmare. Something to think about I guess!

A Cotillion for Butterflies Scarf/Wrap

A Cotillion for Butterflies Scarf/Wrap. Made Red Heart Unforgettable Yarn.

You are cordially invited to the Butterfly Cotillion. Dress in your finest and come join the Butterflies.

Come dance the night away!

This is a whimsical scarf/wrap with three different size Butterflies competing for the best costume (wings) and the best dance moves. Large Butterflies in rows are lined up with their dance partners the medium sized Butterflies. The matriarchs of the Butterfly world stand aloof in the extended Triangle edging, carefully watching to ensure all is proper.

Smaller Butterflies dangle from the edging trying to get a peek at the dance floor, hoping one day it will be their turn.

The pattern is available on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

Materials:

5mm Hook

3x Red Heart Unforgettable in Petunia.

20x Small seed beads.

20x 4mm beads.

Tapestry needle

Sewing needle and thread.

Scissors.

Gauge: Measured over double crochet stitches of the pattern. Measured while blocking.

11 Rows to 4 inches/10cm

16 Stitches to 4 inches/10cm

Finished Measurements:

69.2 inches/176cm long.

13.5 inches/37cm wide. Measured across widest section of the shawl.

Yarn Substitutes: (ensure to check gauge)

Lion Brand Mandala (click here)

King Cole Riot (click here)

Scheepjes Secret Garden (click here)

Sirdar Jewelspun (click here)

As always I like to show off my pattern testers hard work. They sure deserve the credit and everyone gets to see a little bit of diversity in yarn etc.

Test Scarf/Wrap by Sallyanne Fisher. Made using Lion Brand Mandala in Ombre. It looks fabulous!

Test Scarf/Wrap by Margo Mead. Made using Red Heart Unforgettable in Gossamer.

Test Scarf/Wrap by Amanda Haynes. Made using So Crafty Yarn

Test Scarf/Wrap by Bronwyn Bellwood. Made using Blue Label Cupcakes.

Test Scarf/Wrap by Ruth Tipping. Made with WI yarn

Now to the boring stuff!

You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale. You cannot manufacture and mass produce my designs for sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern or any part of it as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns. This post may contain affiliate links.

I Should Have Used Mothballs Scarf/Wrap

Just doesn't pay to turn your back on your crochet! I put my Scarf/Wrap down for just a minute and when I turned back Moths had attacked it. The little blighters were all over it. They had devoured huge chunks of it and were hanging from the edges!

If you feel the need to own your very own moth-eaten Scarf/Wrap then follow these links to the pattern. Ravelry (click here),Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

This Scarf/Wrap is made from Scheepjes Whirl in Caramel Core Blimey. It works up into a very wearable, light-weight accessory to your wardrobe.

The pattern is in written format, with photographs and a graph to help along the way. It comes in UK written terms and US written terms.

Materials:

3.5mm Hook

1x Scheepjes Whirl Caramel Core Blimey 215-225 Grams = 1000m/1093yd per ball.  Approx 150m/164yd of one whirl left over.

68x Small beads.

Tapestry needle

Sewing needle and thread.

Substitutes for yarn:

Birdies Knits Hand Dyed Cotton (click here).

Rico Creative Cotton Degrade (click here).

Lana Grossa Shades of Cotton (click here).

Lion Brand Shawl in a ball (click here).

I Should Have Used Mothballs

The pattern has been tested by my dedicated team of pattern testers and some of their incredible work is below.

Test Scarf/Wrap by Stephanie Fitzgerald Hall. Made using Premier yarn in the colour Tulip. I have to say I think Stephanie only has herself to blame for Moths eating this. Keeping it in a tree has to have something to do with it!!!

Test Wrap/Scarf by Danielle Hanken Tetreault. Made using Birdies Knits hand dyed cotton in fingering weight. Colour Water Lily and Lemon Drop (see yarn substitutes for a link to this).

Test Scarf/Wrap by MJ Rose. Made using Yarn Bee Rainbow Wrapsody in Teal of Fortune.

Test Scarf/Wrap by Jane Wynne. Made using Bendigo Woollen Mills 4ply in Glacier

Now to the boring stuff!

You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.You cannot manufacture and mass produce my designs for sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns. This post may contain affiliate links.

Please and Thank You!

It has been a week of standing on the sidelines and watching many designer friends deal with situations very unique to designers. I decided that it was time for a blog post on the trials and tribulations facing crochet designers.

Find yourself a time machine and step back in time fifty years. To crochet you had only a couple of options. You would learn from someone else and if you needed a pattern you would either go to the library and borrow one (where no doubt the designer had been paid for the design in the publication) or the local store that sold a little bit of everything and buy one, along with your yarn and probably most of your groceries as those stores had everything.

Sneak peek of a design that will be listed this weekend

Of course most people didn't need to use a pattern as there was often someone around to help show you how to crochet, but then you were limited to their abilities.

Right now you can go online and learn to crochet for free and there is a huge amount of patterns for free. Many designers offer free patterns and I know I have a few myself. But these patterns don't magically make their way onto the web for everyones use. They take work.

This week I know of one designer who was almost in tears, due to having one of her patterns bought by one person and then placed for free on a website that is well known for doing this. Her pattern had then been downloaded over 5000 times for free. She complained about this and was told (by someone who claimed that they never bought patterns and all patterns should be free) that she was greedy. Patterns should be free. She pointed out that her crochet business was her only means of feeding her family, but the accuser did not seem to care. Patterns should apparently be there for everyone to just have. Doesn't matter the hours of work involved in this pattern. It should just be free!

A lot of the bigger name designers can offer free patterns and still gain income. They get kick backs from yarn companies and affiliate links. Smaller designers don't have these options.

Another designer friend did a giveaway to try and draw some marketing interest in her work. She gave away quite a number of patterns for free to people. Again, it was hard work for her. Out of all the people who took those patterns, only 6 bothered to say thank you!

Designers are mostly creative people with a love of crochet. But this doesn't mean they should not be paid for their hard work. If you are offered a free pattern by someone, when you know it is actually a paid design, think twice before taking it. You could actually be taking food out of some families mouths by doing so. You don't walk into a Bakery and just take the bread rolls. You don't ask a Tradesperson, Doctor or Accountant to work for nothing and give you freebies. So please do the right thing and pay for your paid crochet patterns, and be thankful for the free ones given to you by the designer.

Also if you have to contact a designer, please be considerate of their time. The stories some of us could tell you about customer contact. We love to help you, but if you just so happen to do a blanket with chunky yarn when it should be make in fingering weight and decide you have an issue, please realise that the issue is your own. If your printer won't work then call a tech person as a crochet designer can't fix your printer.

I will end with the fact that most people who designers have contact with are lovely. It is just not always the case. But designers need to eat too!!!!

Disclaimer:

No Designers or crocheters were harmed in the writing of this post!

I Talk To Yarn!

Like a lot of crazy crochet people during this difficult worldwide pandemic, I have been locked away with my quite substantial yarn stash, whiling away the time crocheting and whipping up designs.

I have been drawing up quite a few new designs as my head just refuses to stop doing so. If I am out on my lawn mower I find by the time I am finished, I have a new idea all formatted out in my head and I am reaching for a pen and paper to jot it down. This happens no matter what I am doing. I just try to remember my ideas for a more appropriate time.

I have truly done my best to use stash yarn for many new designs, but sometimes it just is not enough.

I have one new idea that I have been itching to start. I then start to think about what yarn I need for it and of course colour!

If I had my way every single design would be made in the only colour truly worthwhile of being named Overlord of all Colours! Yes. Of course I am talking about PURPLE! I would truly make everything in purple if I could, but being a designer I do try to be a little bit diverse. Just don't suggest I work in GREEN (yuck) and we will probably get along fine, and don't get me started on RED! Red I only use very, very occasionally. One of my only designs in red is my Frankie Drake Cloche Hat (click here for a link to the pattern).

Frankie Drake Cloche hat. Pattern available on

Etsy (click here)

,

Ravely (click here)

and

Lovecrafts (click here).

Suitable Yarn to Make

Frankie Drake (click here).

For this new design, I had a NEED, LONGING, NECESSITY, UNDENIABLE URGE for Scheepjes Whirl yarn and thankfully my LYS has finally re-opened with a 2 person limit on how many people can be in the store at any one time.

I pondered long and hard as to which colour I should use. Of course I truly wanted to use Whirl in Lavenderlicious, but I have recently done a blanket in this and so I knew I must resist.

I looked at many items made in all the colours, trying to decide what colour would be just perfect. This had me rushing for the anti nausea pills as I came across Peppermint Patty Cakes (Green YUCK!). Once my stomach had finally calmed down, I narrowed the choice down to Mid Morning Mocha'roo and Licorice Yum Yum. Trying to decide between two colours totally does my head in at times. I find myself swapping and changing my mind over, and over, and of course the Lavenderlicious keeps popping into my head as the ultimate choice.

Find Scheepjes Whirl Click Here

The outing to the LYS was a real treat after being stuck in for so long, but my trusty little car had not forgotten the way there. I could hear the joyous hum from the motor as it knew just where to go. I soon found myself stepping over the threshold into yarn heaven. I didn't let any of the other yarns entice me to stop and adore them. Don't you worry, they were really trying. I could hear them whispering, 'Look at me, I am so soft'. 'Come on over here, you know you want to squeeze me! I told them to leave me alone in a harsh tone and they did quieten down considerably.

I stayed focused on my mission and headed straight for the Whirl section. I quickly scanned the shelves looking for the Mid Morning Mocha'roo and finally found one lone cake sitting all by itself as though being shunned by the other cakes. Normally this find would have had me singing BUT.... I needed TWO. My bottom lip dropped to the floor and I had to resist the urge to cry, or throw a tantrum. I managed to hold it all together as the last thing I could want is to be banned from the yarn store. Looking again for the Licorice Yum Yum my eyes landed on the LAVENDERLICOUS! I slapped myself a few times and forced my gaze to move on. 'My eyes, oh my eyes'. My gaze had fallen into the abyss, landing on the PEPPERMINT PATTY CAKE. This had me staggering to hang onto the shelves as nausea took hold.

Regaining my composure and averting my eyes from the hideous green, they finally landed on several cakes of Licorice Yum Yum. I reached for two cakes and headed to the checkout. The Mocha'roo was taunting me as I passed it 'You know you really want me, I'm much better than Licorice, C'mon buy me'. 'You know I can't' I muttered to it. I held my head high and kept walking. The store owner did give me an odd look as I paid for my purchase, but doesn't everyone talk to the yarn? Surely they were standing well back simply due to the covid restrictions and no other reason. Oh, well back to my designs!

You can follow me on the following:

Facebook: Auburncraft Crochet (click here).

Instagram: Auburn1414 (click here).

I also run a Facebook group in partnership with an Irish Designer: Two Redheads Crochet (click here).

Now to the boring stuff!

You are welcome to sell items made from my patterns, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work go into the designing and producing of my patterns.

You are purchasing/downloading my patterns for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns. This post may contain affiliate links.

Pixies and Leprechauns stole my Crochet Hook!

I have a habit of misplacing things!

In reality I don't actually think that I misplace them; I am pretty sure that I have Leprechauns and Pixies that live in my house.

Maybe I could entice the little things with a pot of gold. If only I had one.

Note to self: Ask my Irish designer friend and partner in crime if she knows how to trap a Leprecaun!

These little creatures wait till I am asleep and steal the things they know very well I am going to want to use the next day. My fabric tape measure was missing for several weeks. I eventually found they had returned it and shoved it down the side of the couch. Very Sneaky!

I love my Clover Armour Hooks, but I only have one in a few sizes. My 6mm is gone. No doubt the Pixies found the shiny hook too much to pass up! They don't realise the imposition that they are putting me too. I have had to resort to using a cheap Aluminium hook for my latest design. It is equivalent to entering a Formula One race, while driving a Mazda 3, or attempting Brain Surgery with a Chisel.

Clover Armour

The Clover Hooks glide nicely through the yarn seemingly with no or little effort. I feel like I am wielding a Jack Hammer having to use an inferior hook.

I bet those horrid Pixies and Leprechauns will wait till I have finished this design and then my Clover Hook will appear. I can just imagine their laughter having caused the chaos they wanted.

So if you happen to know how to trap a Pixie or a Leprechaun please let me know and if you speak to one, please ask them to return my 6mm hook.

Ice Queen Crochet Scarf/Cowl

Quote: The White Witch : I can make anything you like. (Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis)

And with that quote in mind, I did go right ahead and make anything I liked!

I like things that are unique, quirky and maybe a little odd.

I had this design rattling around in my head for weeks. I had seen a scientists graph somwhere online charting Icicles and instantly my brain decided that this would make a great idea for a crochet design. I did try very hard to resist the urge to purchase the yarn for this, but I already had the cream in stock, so what can a person really do? I gave in and bought a second ball of Bendigo Woollen Mill Luxury to start making it. This arrived by owl mail (yes a Harry Potter reference), but I still did not give in to the urge to start on the design right away.

The design idea refused to leave me alone. It was insistant upon being made. My brain had re-worked it a dozen times over. I had just completed another unique scarf (Moths Ate My Flower Scarf) and was trying to decide what project I would work on next. So I gave in and grabbed my hook and started to create 'Ice Queen'.

The base for this beauty is a simple Sc (US Terms) scarf with tapered ends.

The uniqueness is created with the layer of Surface Slip Stitch over this simple base. Icicles dance from the edges, created by simple chains, puff stitch and slip stitch.

When it came time to name my creation, I had a few names in mind. I wanted the Icicle theme to be apparent in the name and I kept thinking of the Snow Queen in C.S. Lewis Narnia Chronicles. Combining the two themes together created the name 'Ice Queen'.

The Scarf also doubles as a Cowl with the addition of a button and buttonhole. You can also add an extra buttonhole loop near the neckline if you wish to wear it just draped across your shoulder and buttoned at the neck.

So if you would like to feel like an 'Ice Queen', all snug and warm in your very own Scarf/Cowl, now is your chance.

If you have a fear of Surface Slip Stitch, all I can say is DON'T be afraid. It is easy.

The pattern is in written form and is available in both UK and US Terms and is available on:

Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

It comes with many pictures and graphs for the Surface Slip Stitch as well as the written stitches.

Materials Required:(click here) for Bendigo Woollen Mill yarn.

I have some patterns available on Bendigo Woollen Mills Webpage and Ice Queen will be listed on their shortly as well.

• 5mm hook

• C1=1 x Bendigo Woollen Mill Luxury 10ply Aran in Cream 300m perball. Approx 220m used

• C2= 1 x Bendigo Woollen Mill Luxury 8ply Dk in Shadow 400m per ball.Approx. 350m used

• 1x button approx 45mm/1.77inches (optional)

• Tapestry Needle

• Stitch markers

My pattern testers did themselves proud with their crochet abilities. They helped to fine tune the pattern and I know I would be lost without them!!!

Ice Queen Test Scarf by Amanda Haynes. Made using So Crafty Dk in Slate Grey and So Crafty Chunky in Cream.

Ice Queen Test Scarf by Cindy Cary. Made

Bendigo Woollen Mill Luxury in Navy and Aquarium.

Ice Queen Test Scarf by Kathy Mant. Made using Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury in Slate Grey and Cream.

You can follow me on Auburncraft Crochet on Facebook (Click here), Instagram (Click here) and join Two Redheads Crochet on Facebook (Click here). This is a group I jointly run with an Irish Designer, Fiona Campbell.

Now to the boring stuff!

You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns. This post may contain affiliate links.

On The Wings of a Dragonfly Crochet Shawl

Combining Dragonflies and Crochet have become a bit of a thing with me!

I truly love Dragonflies!

I have many designs that incorporate the Dragonfly in them. My Flight of the Dragonfly Blanket was such a huge success that I decided a triangle shawl using the same motif was in order.

On The Wings of a Dragonfly by Auburncraft Design. Made using 1 x Scheepjes Whirl in Salted Caramel Matcha. 3.5mm hook.

This gorgeous shawl pattern is available in Uk and US terms.

The pattern is now available on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

I used 1x Scheepjes Whirl in Salted Caramel Matcha, with approx 60 to 70 metres remaining of the one cake. To complete the shawl using a single whirl, you will need to meet gauge and keep your tension the same throughout. Two of my incredible pattern testers found that they required a small amount more than the 1000m that comes in one Whirl. Please keep this in mind when ordering yarn.

On The Wings of a Dragonfly Shawl by Auburncraft Design, Made using 1x Scheepjes Whirl in Salted Caramel Matcha. 3.5mm hook

I originally designed this for use with one Scheepjes Whirl but felt that a solid colour made using quality cotton would be a great use of the design. The pattern for the solid colour made using Bendigo Woollen Mill 4ply Cotton will be available in the next few days.

This pattern has been through the testing process and the feedback from my testers has been very positive. I always try to credit my testers in my patterns. Their work enbles me to offer quality pattern and I value their input greatly.

Below is some of their work:

On The Wings of a Dragonfly test shawl by Michelle Rose. Made using Nako Angora Luks.

On The Wings of a Dragonfly test shawl by Jamie Johnson. Made with Hobbii Twister using just over one cake.

On The Wings of a Dragonfly shawl by Bethany Colhoff. Made using Scheepjes Whirl in Blackcurrant Squeeze Me. Just over one whirl used. 3.5mm hook

On The Wings of a Dragonfly by Elika Rivera. Made using Caron Cotton Cakes: Hydrangea with a 5mm hook

On The Wings of a Dragonfly test shawl by Stephanie Joann Nolasco.

Made using Caron Simply Soft Ombre Teal Zeal. 3.5mm hook

On the Wings of the Dragonfly test shawl by Sandie Leach. Made with Little Favorites by Rea-Unicorn. G/4mm

On The Wings of a Dragonfly in Cotton by Cindy Cary. Made using Bendigo Woollen Mills 4 ply cotton in Parchment. 2.75mm hook. This version will be made into its own pattern for use by BWM. A huge thanks to Cindy for all her work to make this possible!

Now to the boring stuff!

You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns. This post may contain affiliate links.

Vintage Bouquet for Bethany

I originally designed this blanket for use with a slow colour change yarn. Then I decided that it could look incredible with a Vintage twist to it.

Vintage Bouquet for Bethany Blanket. Made using quality Bendigo Woollen Mills 8 ply cotton in Latte Colour.

Vintage Bouquet for Bethany is a blanket that will stand the test of time. It would make a fabulous choice for a Christening or Naming Day Blanket and has an elegance to it that turns heads.

It uses the same concept as its sister blanket Bouquet for Bethany but made in a solid cotton with the added embroidery feature at the border.

I used Bendigo Woollen Mills 8ply Dk cotton. This is a super soft, quality cotton and well worth using.

The pattern can be found on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

Please give it some love and favourite or write a comment. The pattern is available in Uk and US terms and has photographs and graphs to help.

Materials:

3.5mm hook

Blanket:

• C1=4x Bendigo Woollen Mill 4ply Cotton Latte 670 metres/732 yards perball. This is a Fingering Weight. Approx 2300m/2515yd total used

Embroidery:

• C2=Approx 200m/218yd Bendigo Woollen Mill 8 ply Dk Pink Rose

• C3=Approx 100m/109yd Bendigo Woollen Mill 8 ply Dk Pine Lime

I am extremely fortunate to have some incredible pattern testers. They help to make my patterns what they are. Below is some of their work on this patterns:

Test blanket by Cindy Cary. Made from Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply Dk cotton in Parchment. The embroidery is done with BWM Blush and Pine Lime.

Test blanket by Kathy Mant. Made from Bendigo Woollen Mills Cotton 8ply Dk in Snow.

Also available is Bouquet for Bethany. This is made from Scheepjes whirl and whirlette and does not have the embroidery feature in the border. Follow this link (click here) to read about this Version.

Now to the boring stuff! You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns.

Bouquet for Bethany Blanket

Sometimes a pattern design comes out better than you could have ever imagined. this is one of those times!

Bouquet for Bethany Blanket uses the same concept as my Flight of the Dragonflies Blanket, but has the gorgeous stemmed flowers as a feature. It is worked in the round with the pattern being in written form, with added graphs and photographs.

Bouquet for Bethany in Scheepjes Whirl, Cotton Candy and Whirlette in Grapefruit

The pattern can be found on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts.

Please give it some love and favourite or write a comment.The blanket is available in two different version (purchase which suits your needs). This version was made from Scheepjes Whirl and Whirlette as I showcase it with a slow colour change yarn. It can look just as fabulous using yarns such as Hobbii Twister or Lola, anything with that lovely graded colour change.

Bouquet for Bethany in Scheepjes Whirl, Cotton Candy and Whirlette in Grapefruit

My hard working pattern testers did a incredible job as usual. They have spent the last 5 weeks pouring over the pattern and finding what I like to call my Boo, Boo's! They produced some incredible blankets, all with their own originality due to colour and yarn choice. Some of their work is featured below:

Test Blanket by Carrie Skach. Made using Scheepjes Whirl in Watermelon Hellraiser and Scheepjes Whirlette in Licorice.

Test Blanket by Simone Howes. Made from Scheepjes Whirl in Licorice Yum Yum and Scheepjes Whirlette in Ice.

Test Blanket by Michelle Rose. Made from Nako Angora Luks Color 81909

Materials:

3.5mm hook

Colour 1-1x Scheepjes Whirl in Cotton Candy 1000m/1093yd

Colour 2-3x Scheepjes Whirlette in Grapefruit. 455m/497yd per ball.  Approx 1110m/1213yd of Whirlette used

Also available is Vintage Bouquet for Bethany. This is made from quality Bendigo Woollen Mill Cotton and has an embroidery feature in the border. Follow this link (click here) to read about the Vintage Version.

Now to the boring stuff! You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns.

Crochet Bunny Rabbit Chocolate Box Cover

This pattern is available for free on Ravelry only (link below).

Easter is just around the corner and no doubt some are looking for that perfect gift!

Yes, of course you can always give someone a Choccie Egg, but we all know that you get more chocolate in a box of chocolates!

Maybe you like to keep your chocolate to yourself! This cover is also great for hiding your box of chocolates in. 'Nope no chocolates inside that', if anyone asks!

Bunny Rabbit Chocolate Box Cover

This works up quickly so you can make them for all your loved ones!

The pattern is available on Ravelry (Click here), Etsy (Click here) and Lovecrafts (Click here).

This bunny chocolate box cover is designed to fit a Lindt Chocolate box 150g/5.2oz (or one equivalent size).  Box measurements 6 ½ inch/16.5cm x 7 ¼/18.4cm  x 1 ¼ inch/3.1cm. It can be adjusted to suit other size boxes. One of my pattern testers made cover for a larger box of chocolates.

Materials:

6mm hook

4mm hook for the eyes, Nose and Cheeks.

C1=1 Bernat Velvet  Grey for main colour (click here).

C2= 1 Robin Dynasty12Ply Mohair. Or equivalent yarn for the Ears, Whiskers and Toes.

C3= Smallamount Black Dk weight yarn for Eyes and Mouth.

C4= Smallamount White Dk weight yarn for Eyes.

C5= Smallamount of Pink Dk weight yarn for the Nose.

1 x small white Pompom. Or make your own. Instructions are not given for the making of this.  ( I used Mohair yarn and a Clover Pompom maker (Click here).) 

Press Studclosure.

2 x smalltriangle shaped white buttons for the teeth.

Needle and Cotton Thread.

My pattern testers did a fabulous job as usual and I cannot thank them enough!

Test make by Sandy Stolpa Hippensteel.  Made from Bernat Velvet. Baby Bee Lou Lou for the face, Pipsque inner ear.  Cotton eyes.

Now to the boring stuff! You are welcome to sell items made from my patterns, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work goes into the designing and producing of my patterns.

If you purchase/download my patterns, they are for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns.

This post contains affliate links.

Crochet Design is Hard Work!

Just ask my computer!

I am apparently quite hard on my computers (according to my tech guy). The hours I spend writing up patterns and editing pictures drives most of my poor computers right over the edge, so to speak!

In the past 18 months I have gone through two computers. They both died a slow painful hinge death. Once the hinge goes, the case cracks and it is all downhill from there.

I know I should have learnt my lesson with the second computer hinge and taken it straight to the computer techs to fix it. But I am sure everyone knows how things tend to creep up on you. I told my tech guy that I had dabbed a little bit of WD40 onto the hinge and he was less than impressed. This is (according to him) almost like sudden death to a hinge. It attracts more dust etc to the troubled spot. The look on his face, when I told him of my handwork with the spray can, was quite priceless. He was trying to be diplomatic and tell me of my error, but I could see he really just wanted to jump the desk and slap me a time or two.

The tech guys updated my computer with one that has an almost industrial type casing. Bet they think I can't break that!

I think they are considering me for a job as a product tester. If any computer can stand up to the punishment, I put it through then it must be GOOD!

So today, here I am working away on a new crochet design that needs to get to the testers. This pattern has a heap of pictures. I am editing this picture and so what does my idiot computer go and do? It froze! It would not unfreeze. Begging it to do so had no affect at all! Selfish thing! So I had to close it down and reopen. All the while I am thinking, 'did I save my work?' Apparently not! Why would I do something that sensible?

I lost 2 hours of work on my crochet design! The selfish computer should have thought of that, but no it had to go and freeze. I am quite sure it had nothing to do with the fact that I had approx. 45 open pictures in editing, probably around 30 different pages also open on the computer and I was also watching an episode of the Good Doctor and had not shut that. Still if the computer can't cope with that and doesn't want to work hard enough and do a good job, then I doubt this one is going to last all that long either. I thought about throwing it on the floor and jumping on it, but I could just see my tech guys face when I tried to explain that one!

Ah well, back to pattern editing!

A New Design is Coming!

Having survived Christmas and made my way into 2020, I was extremely happy to get two new blanket designs off to my testers. My testers were all really glad to be released from the locked room I keep them in and allowed to get to work on the roughly 28 pages of the pattern put in front of them. A couple of them complained about not being allowed to go home for Christmas, but I did allow them some turkey scraps, so they should all be good to work! If I can force them to all work really hard, not sleep and generally crochet 24 hours a day, I am hoping to have the designs really to publish towards the end of February.

I made a promise to one of my testers a few months back that I would name a design after her and so I named the two blankets, Bouquet for Bethany Blanket and Vintage Bouquet for Bethany Blanket.

The blankets are a mixture of Filet work and Popcorn stitches and I am really looking forward to publishing them. The patterns are similar, with one using a solid yarn and having a variation on the border to make it an individual design. The other a slow colour change yarn for a completely different look. Vintage Bouquet for Bethany is made using Bendigo Woollen Mill 4ply cotton and Bouquet for Bethany I have done in Scheepjes Whirl.

Yarn and colour choice can take a design and change the look of it completely. It then becomes an extension of the person making it with their choices.

Sneak peek Vintage Bouquet for Bethany Blanket coming soon.

I have been using Scheepjes Whirl yarn a bit over the last few months and had some success with my Flight of the Dragonflies Blanket and my Fishing for Luck Shawl. Both have been accepted well and are proving to be my top sellers.

Fishing for Luck Shawl is available on: Etsy (click here).Ravelry (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

Flight of the Dragonfly Blanket is available on: Etsy (click here). Ravelry (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here)

Left: Fishing for Luck Shawl. Right: Dragonflies in Flight Blanket.

I have quite a number of partially completed original designs on the hook at present and should have some great things coming in 2020.

Thanks to everyone who supported my designs and patterns in the past 12 months. I appreciate it!

Now to the boring stuff! You are welcome to sell items made from my patterns, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work goes into the designing and producing of my patterns.

If you purchase/download my patterns, they are for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

Two Redheads Crochet Pattern Give-away

This year, a designer friend and I decided to start a Facebook group which combines our love of crochet, our businesses and a whole pile of other people (including other designers) who share our interest.

The Designers in our group are welcome to post their patterns on weekends, using the tag #wickedweekend. This is great for the Designers and also prevents the group being over run by Designer posts every day.

The group is slowly growing and we have implemented a Designer of the Month program. Each month a new designer has free reign to run giveaways and promote their patterns whenever they want.

My partner in crime in this venture is an Irish Designer who runs Flo's Crafty Crochet. Our partnership works well as when she is awake in Ireland I am sleeping in Australia. So one of us is usually around to tend to our group.

To get our Designer focus months started Fiona became Novembers Designer of the Month. This month I am Decembers Designer (Auburncraft Crochet).

It has been a fun month with pattern give-aways and competitions. At present I have a competition running for a copy of my Flight of the Dragonfly pattern. So if you would like to join in and win a copy of my Flight of the Dragonfly Blanket Pattern, join Two Redheads Crochet on Facebook (click here).

Flight of the Dragonfly Blanket

Two Redheads Crochet on Facebook

Auburncraft Crochet on Ravelry (click here).

Flo's Crafty Crochet on Ravelry (click here).

Flight of The Dragonfly on Ravelry (Click here)

Flight of The Dragonfly on Etsy (Click here)

The Dragonfly Patch Crochet Blanket

The Dragonfly Patch Crochet Blanket

What could be better than a patch of dragonflies? I love dragonflies and am always looking at new ways to incorporate them into my designs.

I really have a thing for Dragonflies! I love days where you see them! A buzz of wings and they are gone on their way, about their day! You can try to chase them but they are not going to be caught!

I have to say I am pretty pleased with the end result of this design. The motif squares measure roughtly 25.4cm/10 inches (depending upon hook, yarn choice and tension).

The sky is the limit for how large you want this beauty to be, as it can easily be made larger with more motif squares added.

I used Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply Cotton for this. The BWM cotton is a super soft yarn which is lovely to work with. Many different yarns could be used as a substitute.

The pattern can be found on Ravelry (Click Here), Etsy (Click Here) and on Lovecrafts (Click Here). I also have a pattern giveaway happening on my Facebook group, Two Redheads Crochet (Click here).

Materials
3.5mm hook
C1=1 x Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply/Dk Cotton in Daffodil 485m/530yd per ball. Approx 400m/437yd used.
C2=1 x Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply/Dk Cotton in Honeydew 485m/530yd per ball. Approx 400m/437yd used.
C3=1 x Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply/Dk Cotton in Kiwi 485m/530yd per ball. Approx 400m/437yd used.
C4=2 x Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply/Dk Cotton in Parchment 485m/530yd per ball. Approx -650m/710yd used.
Scissors
Tapestry Needle

The pattern comes with separate copies for Uk terms and USA terms. It has many photos to help along the way.

Pattern testing is a huge part of getting a design ready to publish. I am lucky enough to have some really incredible people who test for me. They have amazing patience and tolerance to my errors, or what I like to refer to as my boo, boos. Below is a few examples of their work.

Test Blanket: Made by Cindy Cary using Bendigo Woollen Mills 8ply Cotton in Daffodil, Pink Rose, Artic and Teal.

Test Blanket by Debbie Schell Kirkland, made using Bernat Baby Sport in Lavender and Cream.

left: Test Blanket by Kathy Mant.  Made using Bendigo Woollen Mill 8 ply cotton in Artic, Daffodil, Cream and Pine Lime.
Centre: Test Blanket by Lindsay Broussard Silvestrini. Made using Caron Simply Soft.

Right: Test Blanket by Elika Rivera. Made using Red Heart with Love in Grape Jam, Boysenberry, Lilac and White.

Test Blanket by Michelle Westwood.  Made using Paintbox Simply Dk and a 4mm hook

Yarn Suppliers:

Bendigo Woollen Mill 8 ply Cotton. This was used in the main design and by two of the testers, (click here).

Caron Simply Soft. This was used by one tester, (click here)

Red Heart With Love. This was used by one tester, (search google for closest supplier).

Bernat Baby Sport. This was used by one tester, (click here).

Paintbox Simpy Dk. This was used by one tester, (click here).

Now to the boring stuff! You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns.

There will be a giveaway of one copy of the pattern in the next few weeks in my crochet group Two Redheads crochet on Facebook (click here).

This post may contain affiliate links.